A Study On Impact of Social Media On The Youth

A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE YOUTH.
INTRODUCTION
Social Networking sites are termed to as web based services that give an
opportunity to individuals to create their own personal profile with the choice of
their own list of users and thereby connect with them in an altogether public forum
that provides them with features such as chatting, blogging, video calling, mobile
connectivity and video/photo sharing.
People spend more than usual hours on social networking sites to download
pictures, browse through updates seek entertainment and chat around with friends
to keep themselves connected to one another.
These sites have held an addiction to the youth wherein they find it difficult to
concentrate on their work and prefer logging in and jumping across one site to
another. Some have derived benefit out of these sites whereas some have become
academically challenged by the use of these websites.
Individuals have set their own limits as to when and when not to access these
websites but we witness very few out of the lot who does not access or make use of
these sites at all. Evaluating the amount of research that surrounds the usage of
social networking sites in the education system, it is important to determine
whether or not, have these sites led to any impact on student engagement and
achievement.
This paper will be therefore able to review the available literature to study and
present both the positive and negative impacts of online networking on the most
high in demand
segment of our society (The youth).
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Impact of social networking websites on the education of the youth
The researcher tries to portray, social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
are gaining popularity with the pace of time and due to their attractive features the youth of
today’s generation is fascinated towards them. The study argues against the notion claiming that
due to the rapid popularity of social networking sites the youth tends to distract themselves from
their studies and professions but on the contrary is also developing friendly and social ties with
the world that revolves around them.
Impact of social networking sites in the changing mindsets of

Youth on social issues
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This paper elucidates that men spend more time as compared to women on social networking
sites to review these social issues and yet women are very sensitive to issues like these existing
in the world. The youth takes active participation and also raises their voices in order
to express their opinions and views on social issues being discussed on these sites. Also, the
findings state that even though the youth reciprocates to these events they still do not take up
discussions beyond web and forget about them once they sign off. Thereby, these sites
prove to be a boon to the youth in terms of spreading awareness about these issues that arise.
Impact of social networking sites on students
This study establishes the fact that out of all the respondents targeted, nearly 55.4% of the total
population from people ranging in the age group 15 to 25 use social networking sites and also
states that most of the users from the same age group use these sites as a medium to seek
entertainment.
In terms of gender division, male users are more as compared to female users wherein male users
generally derive knowledge based information from these sites. It focuses on the fact that most of
the youth uses these sites due to influence of their friends
and just because their friends have been using and accessing these sites. This also illustrates the
academic performance of students using social networking sites. Students acquiring 3.0 to 3.5
GPA in examinations are most inclines to these sites for entertainment.
The effect of social networking sites on adolescents’ social and academic development:
Current theories and controversies
The paper offers a review of the emerging research surrounding social networking sites and
youth. The technologies and offers of these sites are such that they fascinate and attract the youth
and teenage.
Determining its popularity, parents and educators have lend an ear to its concern and
consideration. These concerns range from youth privacy, safety, time consumption, health issues,
psychological well being and academic performance.
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However the study must be finally specified about theories as to how youth uses social
networking sites and must enact communication behavior that should result in their benefit
Effect of social networking sites usage on the studies of Nigerian students
This study evaluates the effect of social networking sites on the students and justifies that no
significant effect of these sites are found to hamper their studies but there is no clear balance of
its usage. Students do not realize as to when and where to use these social networking sites and
are witnessed using them in areas such as lecture halls while lectures are going on and also
during study and reading hours of their work schedules. This incorporates the suggestion to
youth in order to efficiently allocate their time and reschedule their timings to face terms
with what needs to be done.
WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social media, basically defined as grouping of internet based an application that builds on the
ideological and scientific foundations for transforming communication, in to an effective and
interactive conversation between different societies and individuals. Social media is one of the
easiest means and includes media and social networking sites like face book, twitter, instagram,
Google+ etc. This is creating lot of boom in the current generation as it is one of the exceptional
resources in conveying the information.
Using social media will help in improving contacts and thus increases business. Social media
may comprise of different forms like magazines, social club, Internet forums, weblogs, social
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blogs, micro blogging, wikis, podcasts, photographs or pictures, video, rating and social
bookmarking.
But now the trend of getting information has totally changed as most of them are using internet
to acquire information and to meet people. Social media is different from the usual traditional
media which include newspapers, television, radio and films etc. This social media is less
expensive when compared to the traditional media and is also easily accessible. This is not only
used for communicating and interacting with people worldwide but is also one of the best ways
to advance in business. Almost 70% of the business is done online because this will reach to the
customers/audiences soon, all over the world. This is also one of the biggest pools of
information.
Types of social media.
Social media can be categorized in to six types and they are: Joint projects like Wikipedia, blogs
like Twitter, content communities like YouTube, social networking sites like Face book, effective
game worlds like World of War craft and virtual social worlds like second life. Other than this
social media technologies may include: blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email,
instant messaging, music-sharing, crowd sourcing and voice over IP and many more.
Whole of social media is managed using the seven functional building blocks and they are:
Identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups. Main purpose of
using these building blocks is to get better idea on the essential needs of the social media viewers
and these building blocks may differ with the type of social media. For example users of
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LinkedIn mainly focus on identity, reputation and contacts whereas YouTube building blocks are
sharing, conversation, groups and reputation.
ADVANTAGES OF SOCIAL MEDIA
One of the main advantages of social media is that it reaches millions of people in just a couple
of minutes. One thing that is needed for any social media network is associates, as they are the
commodity and they create value, not only to the site but also to the society. Some of the benefits
are listed below:
► Reach: It is proved that this social media can reach huge audience across the globe. Industrial
media uses a nationalized framework for grouping, manufacturing and broadcasting, whereas
social media is more decentralized, less hierarchical and renowned by multiple tips of
manufacture and service.
► Accessibility: Accessibility for industrial media is governed by government or it may be
privately owned. Social media tools will be available to the public at a very low cost or
sometimes at free of cost.
► Usability: Social media when compared to the industrial media does not need expertise skills
and training, but it only needs the reinterpretation of existing skills. It is very easy to operate and
access social media for a person with minimum knowledge of computer operating and one can
easily avail the vast services provided by social media. Social media is known for its ease of use.
► Immediacy: Social media is capable of conveying information in just a span of seconds.
People or audience can get quick updates on the latest news with just a single click.
► Permanence: Social media can always be altered with comments or suggestions which are
provided by the industry experts or the audience. Social media will undergo rigorous change to
cope up with the latest technology that is exploring in today’s generation.
Apart from the above mentioned benefits, other benefits are mentioned below:
► A flexible media: Social networking sites like facebook, twitter, google+ help users to find
and connect with friends worldwide, easily with a quick process. These will also be helpful in
promoting business by increasing contacts. Using these sites is very easy because they are
designed in a way to reach the targeted audience and new features and functions are constantly
developed so as to make the site more flexible in satisfying user needs. Many famous
personalities for example celebrities, business men and famous personalities create their own
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blogs to promote their business or to express their views. This will make their work easier in
reaching huge audience in a very less time.
► Network building at free of cost: When compared to journals and reports, social media will
easily connect to the users. This will take less time in reaching the audience whereas the journals,
reports will take lot of time as it is a tedious process. Social media also helps in promoting
scientific researches which will be very helpful to mankind. Every service rendered by these
social networking sites is provided at free of cost for its users.
EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media are gaining in popularity every day.
 The average time spent on social networks per day: 1.72 hours (in 2015).
 The average number of hours a teenager spends online per week: 27 (2015).
Social media have become prominent parts of life for many young people today. Most people
engage with social media without stopping to think what the effects are on our lives, whether
positive or negative. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Facebook "friends" than
we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives? What will the longterm
effects of today's social media use be?
There are many positive aspects, but there are equally as many dangers that come with the use of
sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google +, Tumblr, Instagram, gaming sites,
and blogs. In order to make the right choices, we must dig in and research this topic thoroughly.
What are the positive aspects of engaging in social media?
The positives of social media:
Education:
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 Teachers are able to easily collaborate and communicate with students and one another.
 Students have easy, free access to resources online to help them learn.
 Grades improve and absenteeism is reduced.
 59% of student users report that they use social networking to discuss educational topics
and 50% use the sites to talk about school assignments.
Politics:
 Voter participation is increased. Facebook users said they are more likely to vote if they
see that their online friends did. During the elections of 2010, users who visited Facebook
more than once a day were 2.5 times more likely to attend a political rally or meeting and
43% more likely to say they will vote.
 Social media facilitates political change: Online networks give social movements a quick,
cheap method of disseminating information and mobilizing people.
Awareness/Being Informed:
 27.8% of Americans get their news online. (28.8% get it from newspapers and 18.8%
from radio.)
 Information spreads faster online than any other media. More than 50% learn about
breaking news on social media.
 Social networking provides academic research to everyone with online access, allowing
people access to previously unavailable resources.
 Social media sites inform and empower individuals to change themselves and their
communities.
Social Benefits:
 Social media allow people to communicate with friends and this increased online
communication strengthens those relationships. 52% of online teens say social media have
helped their friendships. 88% say being online helps them stay in touch with friends they
don't see regularly.
 People make new friends. 57% online teens report making new friends online.
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Job Opportunities:
 Great for professionals for marketing, connecting, and finding business opportunities.
 Employers find employees and unemployed find work. 89% of job recruiters have hired
via LinkedIn, 26% via Facebook, and 15% via Twitter.
 Social media sites have created thousands of jobs and new avenues of income.
The Expectation of Fame and the Importance of Being "Liked"
What are the negative aspects of engaging in social media?
The negatives of social media:
A Detriment to Work and/or School:
 Enables cheating on school assignments.
 While grades did improve for light users, the grades of students who are heavy users of
social media tend to suffer. One study shows that student users have an average GPA of 3.06
while non-users have an average GPA of 3.82.
 For every 93 minutes over the average 106 minutes spent on Facebook daily, college
students’ grades dropped .12 points.
 Another study showed that students who went online while studying scored 20% lower
on tests.
 Possible negative effects on college admission: 35% of admissions officers scan

prospective students' social media and report discovering information that affects their
admissions decision.
 Social networking sites harm employees' productivity. 51% of users aged 25-34 checked
social media at work.
 Using social media can harm employment and prospects. Job recruiters check a
prospective employee's social media accounts, and things like profanity, poor spelling or
grammar, racism, sexism, poor health, references to alcohol or drugs, and sexual and
religious content can all count against you.
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Lack of Privacy:
 People, especially the young, are often too open and public with personal information
when online. Most don't read privacy policies and may be unaware that their information
may be used by third parties, like advertisers, insurance companies, and the IRS. 21% of
teens believe it is safe and harmless to post personal information, including photos.
 Exposure to corporate and governmental intrusions. The US Justice Department

intercepts thousands of pieces of information from email and social networking activity per
year.
 The IRS trains agents to scan social media for information that can help them resolve
taxpayer cases.
 Insurance companies use information gleaned from social media, as well. If you have
"liked" a medical-related page or a post about a health condition, that information is
sometimes used by insurance companies to determine eligibility and raise rates.
 Online advertising policies are an invasion of privacy. If you "like" a brand, you’re giving
that company access to your personal information.
Users Vulnerable to Crime:
 Social networking sites allow hate groups to recruit and distribute propaganda online.
 Unauthorized sharing and copyright infringement threatens intellectual property and

causes loss of income.
 Security attacks such as hacking, identity theft, phishing scams, and viruses are common
online. 68% of users share their real birth date, 63% share the name of their high school,
18% share their phone number, 12% share a pet's name: This information might be used in
identity theft.
 Criminals use social media to commit crimes. Robbers know when you're away from
your home on vacation and stalkers get information about your whereabouts via social
media.
 Sexual predators find, stalk, and assault victims through social media.
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 Sexting (texting sexual content) can be a big problem. When teens post sexy photos or
comments online, it can lead to criminal charges and child pornography. 88% of "private"
sexual images posted to social media are stolen and publicly posted on porn sites without
the subject's knowledge.
 Security attacks such as hacking, identity theft, and viruses and exposure to phishing
scams are common via social media.
Social Detriments:
 Cyber-bullying (the use of electronic communication to bully someone, usually by

sending intimidating or threatening messages) is commonplace online, causes emotional
trauma, and sometimes even leads to suicide. 49.5% of students reported victimization by
bullying online and 33.7% admitted to online bullying. A 2012 study found that at least
800,000 minors had been harassed on Facebook. Middle school children who experienced
cyber bullying were almost twice as likely to try to kill themselves.
 According to one report, 15% of adult users said that something that happened online
caused a friendship to end. 12% of adult users said something that happened online caused a
face-to-face argument, and for 3% of adults it turned into a physical confrontation.
 Extensive online engagement is correlated with personality and brain disorders like poor
social skills, ADHD, narcissistic tendencies, a need for instant gratification, and addictive
behaviors and other emotional distress like depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
 Less time for face-to-face interaction with loved ones. 47% of 18-34-year-old users
reported using social media or texting during meals. 10% of people younger than 25
reported checking their phones and social media during sex.
 Children at higher risk for depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders and more
prone to feeling isolated and disconnected (especially youth with disabilities).
Misinformation:
 Enables the spread of false rumors and unreliable information: 49.1% of users have read
false news on social media.
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 Encourages amateur medical advice and self-diagnosis of health problems, which can be
dangerous and life-threatening.
Advertising:
 Studies have shown that sites such as Facebook influence you, via advertisements, to
spend more money.
 Advertisers gain all kinds of personal information about you via your social media,
information they use to persuade you to buy their product.
A Waste of Time:
 When alerted to a new post or tweet, it takes about 20 to 25 minutes for the average user
to return to their original task. 30% of the time it takes two hours for the user to return to
their original task.
Is Social Media Taking Over?
Paradoxically, social media sites can make us not only more capable but also more inept. We
sometimes share too much with too many, and we have to be conscious of that. Overall, we have
to be careful and caution when approaching these things.
In this day and age, we are pressured 10 different ways as far as our beliefs and opinions are
concerned. Are having our own thoughts or are we so influenced by external phenomenon that
we believe everything we see online?
In many cases it is clear that social media have become not only part of people’s lives but the
things their lives revolve around. We see people checking smartphones every two minutes,
looking for the latest tweet or status update. It’s important yet difficult to retain the attitude that
these sites may be useful, but that's all they are—tools, not lifestyles.
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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
The below risks are associated with Social Media:

● People who are spending more time on using these sites to gain information score less, when
compared to youth who read books.
● The e-learning concept is booming and most of them prefer to this e-learning rather reading
books which costs them more.
● Sitting before a TV or computer for longer time will create health problems and many cases
have been reported in this regard.
● Using social networking sites to make friends is not always good because most of them make
friendship with a bad intension. This may damage their reputation by adding unknown friends to
their list.
● Extreme use of technology makes us more disruptive in life. Most of them get
addicted to this, knowing its negative impacts. This may lead to low performance
and loss of productivity in workplace as people tend to slink on their accounts.
● And on the other side some people tend to express themselves in a good form
which they are not.

● People with cruel intensions target the audience who are irresponsible.
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● Information published through this social media may not always be informative
and trusted. Most of the times it misleads people with bad ideas and news.
● Most of them use internet or social media for wrong purpose which will affect
the entire youth and also kids.

● People who spend long time over the internet show the signs of depression like
change in sleeping and food habits, experience swing in moods and change in daily
routine
SOCIAL MEDIA AND MENTAL HEALTH
If you suspect social media is chipping away at your emotional wellness, you’re
not alone. Psychologists, psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals have seen
a drastic uptake in patients who feel they’re being adversely affected by their
online social activity. Here are some key indicators to be aware of:
• Low or decreased self-esteem during or after using social media.
• Negatively comparing yourself to others via their social media content.
• Repetitively focusing on your own shortcomings or distress while viewing
others’ social media feeds.
• Frequently feeling envious of others while engaged with social media.
• Using social media as your prime leisure activity.
• Feeling disconnected from friends and family or not interacting with them in
person as often as you normally would
• Decrease in ability to concentrate.
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• Increased or unusual social anxiety when interacting with people offline.

• Feeling a need to share everything you’re doing offline on social media.
• Experiencing the negative emotional experience, “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out)
during or after viewing others’ online activity.
• Consciously, consistently using social media as a distraction to avoid or suppress
unpleasant emotions.
• Irregular or disordered sleeping patterns.
• Increase in fatigue and/or stress during or after using social media.
Be honest: How do you really feel before, during and after your forays onto your
social media platforms? Are you left jealous, upset, unnerved and stressed? If
you’re finding that what you’re getting out of your interactions online isn’t
conducive to feeling your best, it may be time to closely re-examine your use of
social media. IS SOCIAL MEDIA NEGATIVELY IMPACTING YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH?
HEALTHY USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the hazards associated with social media, it has opened up a world of
increased connection, idea sharing, learning and an unprecedented opportunity to
expand one’s worldview.
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When gauging what is the healthiest use of social media for you, look for things
that expand your mind, world and feelings of clarity, compassion and happiness.
Try using social media to:
• Subscribe to and participate in communities that are supportive, educational and
provide insight into events or areas that interest you. Use these virtual
neighbourhoods to help feel connected and to look for articles, research and
resources you might use to improve your life offline.
• Enhance and enrich existing offline bonds and relationships through positive
feedback, posts and comments.
• Become an active citizen! Get involved in the causes you believe in or share,
advocate and start a movement of your own. Individuals and charities have raised
millions of dollars and spread awareness using social media to get their messages
out – you can be a part of that too.
• Foster goodwill, empathy and support for others by dropping positive,
constructive and helpful comments.
• Seek out information and insights from trusted sources to learn more about
yourself and the world around you. There’s no telling what shiny, new platform is
on the horizon or what impact it will have, but one thing is certain: social media is
here to stay and it’s a life changer. The next time you use it to watch, generate,
share, comment and engage, keep a close eye on how it’s impacting your mental
health. It’s up to you – and completely possible - to avoid social media’s pitfalls
and use it to enrich your well-being and happiness.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
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Objectives:
1.To determine the usage of social networking sites by the youth
2.To understand the pros and cons of social networking sites
3.To study the influence of social networking sites on personal and professional
life.
Methods of data collection

The research incorporates the quantitative approach to study the research
objectives. The survey method helped to identify the impact that social media on
the youth.
Survey
Survey was conducted randomly among the Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, user
community within the age group of 15-35 yrs by sending online questionnaire to
collect individual opinion from the respondants.
Sampling
Stratified random sampling was used to collect the opinion from the online
respondents.
To collect effective data the target population is the youth from the age group of
15-35 yrs.
The sample size is 100.
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RESULTS AND FINDINGS
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SECTION 1
To determine
the usage of
social
networking
sites.
On being asked as to which social networking sites the target

audience uses the most , 55% responded to Instagram, 37%
responded to Facebook,7% to Twitter whereas the percentage of
respondents using LinkedIn was found negligible. From this we
can infer maximum respondents are inclined towards platform of
social utility that connects them with their friends and peers other
than a professional platform that provides them opportunity to
professional networking.
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When
asked about how many hours in a day they spend on social
media ,31% percent said that they spend 1-2 hrs ,20% said that
they spend less than an hour , whereas 15% said that they spend
more than 4 hours on social media thereby highlighting an
extensive impact of the social media sites on the youth.
When asked the main reason to register on social media sites,

71% of the respondents register to maintain existing friends and
contacts which show that they want to be updated about the
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happenings amongst their friends and family.This to a certain

extent leads to loss of focus on their own goals .
Section 2
To understand the pros and cons of social media.
When asked about the kind of information the respondents derive

from the social media, 35% said that they derive information
regarding entertainment and 20% regarding updates from family
and friends. The response for the job related information is
negligible and this shows that social media is diverting the youth
from focusing on their career goals.
30%
respondents said that they make friends from their education and
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business streams,30% said that they add friends on their

personal likeliness.This shows that most of them make friends on
the basis of their personal liking and based on their education and
business streams.
When the question of cyber crime was raised to the

respondents,67% of the sample was proven to be immune from
them validating the improved privacy and the account settings
these sites provide to their users. However on the contrary 17%
have been victimized for fake profiles,9% of them for hacking thus
imparting to our knowledge that even today noticeable proportion
of youth is victimized for cyber crimes.
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The respondents were asked how many new friends they have
made through social media.41% said that they have made 0-10
new friends whereas 32% have made more than 30 new friends
which gives us the idea about how the youth wants to build up
new contacts through social media.
Amongst the sample 37% are those who have added 10 & above
unknown friends and 9% are those who have added 5-10
unknown people to their profiles presumably because the youth is
attracted to expand their network by connecting to new people
across the globe.54% of the respondents were those who had less
or no strangers added to their profile for reasons preferably been
no evasion of secrecy or privacy.
Section 3
1-Strongly disagree; 2- Disagree; 3-Neutral; 4-Agree; 5-
Strongly Agree.
To study the influence of social networking sites on

personal and professional life.
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When asked about the respondents perception regarding the

relationships built, 27% and 26% agreed that social networking
sites help build relationships on a personal and professional front,
whereas 9% and 11% disagreed about the influence of social
media in building relationships. It has brought about a
revolutionary change and also has proven to be beneficial in all
walks of life. Thus, it proves to hold its own advantages in every
individual’s life across the globe.
When asked about making stronger contacts on social media than

in person, 24% disagreed whereas 9% agreed that they have
done so. majority of the respondents feel that even today the real
world exists on a larger scale than the virtual to reside in.
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Perhaps, the faith and trust they hold onto people only validates
and strengthens beyond the boundaries of social networking sites.
Also, these sites have not influenced the youth to such an extent
where they would build stronger contacts on social media than in
person.
From the previous findings we got to know that 30% of

respondents spend their more than 2 hours on social networking
sites thus hampering 20 – 25% of their involvement in social
gatherings. Since abundant of their time is spent surfing the
social networking sites, they prefer sitting back at home rather
than involve in social gatherings. However there is 25%
respondents who disagree about social media hampering their

occasional social gatherings.
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22% respondents have not had their schedules or professional

lives affected through social media highlighting the fact that
people have developed a mindset of prioritizing their tasks by
keeping their work first. However clarifying that though these
social networking sites have been
Expanding to gain momentum in their popularity but have not
affected the youth to the level of their inability to prioritize their
own schedules and realize as to what is more important.
On being asked about the positive and negative impacts of social

networking sites , notably around 81% respondents weighed
positive side heavier which included positive impacts like helps in
generating awareness ,helps develop social skills, and also helps
in reading and writing skills. However around 20 % said that social
sites have negative impacts too like distorted body image, making
violence common and risky sexual behavior.
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CONCLUSION
The primary objective of this research was undertaken to throw

light on how effectively the usage of social networking sites
affected the youth by evaluating both the positive and negative
aspects. With reference to the study , it can be evidently figured
out how smart witty and intelligent the youth are in the current
era. Through the aid of the data collected and analyzed various
conclusions can be drawn as follows:
The youth is not only aware of what is good for them but also but
also keen and enthusiastic to draw priorities and fix onto which
ones are important and how. Similarly, how these sites are serving
the purpose to stay connected to all without hampering their
social gatherings or professional schedules. The youth comes to
gaining relevant information about what goes in and around the
lives of the near and dear ones through social networking sites
updates.
The youth can thus discriminate between the real and virtual
world and admits to the fact that social networking sites do not
provide an opportunity to build stronger contacts with people than
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in person. The level of trust and faith weighs higher on their

contact building in the real world than in virtual for the plain
reason of cybercrimes still attacking a significant number of
people which has thereby been justified in the findings.
CRAZE FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AMONG

GENERATIONS..
AWESOME OR NO SOME?
In the modern era all are becoming addicted to internet. Most of us love spending
hours on internet surfing and browsing sites and chatting on the internet. We are
getting so addicted that we can’t stay without sitting online for even a single day.
This is mainly due to the increasing craze for various social networking sites.
There are many social social networking sites and more social networking sites
may come in future. The main social networking sites are Facebook, Instagram and
twitter & now craze of Whatsapp, Hike, Facebook messenger are increasing
rapidly. We do so many things on these social networking sites & apps that we
spend many hours on them. We upload our pics and videos, we update through our
status what all is going in life, we chat with our friends, play games etc. We love
these sites so much that we may also spend our full day on it doing different things.
We love it more than our family members…. we are very much eager to post and
update our status on that social networking website and apps. Now a days any one
can judge and see what’s going on in your life by following you and watching your
status and profile pics on these social networking websites and apps.
Got a new cell phone , Feeling great – Status updated and now waiting for likes
and comments ,This is all social networking these days. Whether a 13 year old kid
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or a 60 year old GRANDFATHER , everyone is just so curious to update statuses

and then checking after every 5 minutes as to how many likes have increased ?
That is all social networking meant for these days. “Updating to tweeting and now
Instagraming ” -Craze for them is increasing every 24 hours.
Social networking is actually a means of communication with your past and
present but these days it doesn’t seems so. In the past years , had anyone would
have imagined that a 10 year old girl/boy would ever be so curious to update their
status with a picture of their own in newly bought clothes ? I guess the answer is
NO. Way back 10 years nobody ever knew what social networking sites are and
gradually with the advancement of technology, social networking sites came into
being and gradually attracted youngsters and not exactly youngsters but kids who
actually even have no idea of what SOCIAL NETWORKING means.
According to them, These sites are a new world and kids getting attracted to those
sites usually lack the power of learning as scientists reveal. These sites attract
generations to generations: from kids to old people. Nowadays , a person’s state of
mind is IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO CONNECT WITH A PERSON OFFLINE
THEN CONNECT ONLINE. Craze for social networking is increasing day by day
though people don’t understand this world of social networking is actually a
transparent world and there is lack of privacy. Certain features on these sites are
not equipped with privacy settings and your stuff is actually open to all and one
actually has no idea as to who is visiting your profile. As said, SHARING IS
CARING but sharing on networking sites is not caring rather giving the culprits an
opportunity to peek into your private life and no one is to be blamed for. Even
today the phenomenon of SEEING AND MEETING has actually lost its charm as
VIRTUAL RELATIONSHIPS are gaining charm. SEEING AND MEETING
actually refers to the past period when building a forever bond people use to meet
Page 29
each other and each other’s families and talks happened but nowadays firstly
people connect on matrimonial sites or even on social networking sites and decide
accordingly.
A question arises: Allowing of strangers to peek into one’s personal life on social
networking sites worth it? Are matrimonial sites worth making JODI’S, surely
might be to some but not everyone.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND RELATIONSHIPS
Social media has impacted how relationships grow and sustain themselves. On one
hand, social media and technology have allowed relationships to be established and
sustained from a physical distance. On the other hand, social media may have
“ruined dating,” in the sense that the courtship process can now occur almost
entirely over the internet and decrease the incentive to make a commitment.
The search for perfection may make you even less likely to commit, especially
when potential flaws or incompatibilities emerge. With other options always easily
available via the web, it may not seem worth it to work through a potential obstacle
or overlook a potential flaw to see if the relationship has potential. With access to
a limitless supply of paramours, it can feel like ‘settling’ to label yourself as being
in an exclusive relationship.
You can also privately juggle multiple relationships at once, which can make it
difficult to give anyone relationship the attention needed to really assess whether it
could develop and become meaningful. A rotating roster of relationship candidates
Page 30
can promote a false sense of what one person can truly provide another, and
possibly stunt someone from learning how to have a healthy and fulfilling
relationship in the future.
Not only has social media changed how we initiate and maintain relationships, it
has impacted our ability to end them and move on with our lives.
“FOCUS ON HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR BONDS

WITH OTHERS, AND BE KEEN TO HOW IT CAN ALSO DISTRACT US
FROM GETTING WHAT WE WANT.”
Pre-internet, if you broke up with someone and wanted to avoid reminders of their
existence, you could do so fairly easily: destroy their photographs, change your
routine, move to a new town, etc. Now, all of your ex’s lives, future partners, and
future children can be viewed in the comfort of your own bedroom every night.
Even if you ‘block’ them, friends of friends who are friends of theirs can lead to
unpleasant surprise ‘interactions,’ which can be unsettling and perhaps prevent
someone from getting the psychological distance they need from an ex.
Developers are coming up with ways to edit and limit such opportunities, such as
“Eternal Sunshine,” named after the film where ex’s undergo treatment in order to
have each other erased from their memories. This program proposes to digitally
erase all reminders of an ex.
Use Technology to Strengthen Connections
Page 31
So, if you are trying to meet someone using social media, remember that in order
to find out if you have a connection, it is important to make an effort to get to
know someone without the distraction of multiple potential love interests.
Keep in mind that flaws are what make us interesting, and part of the fun of getting
to know someone and developing a relationship is to overcome challenges and be
vulnerable together.
Make sure to save some interactions for real-time in-person communication, so as

to give yourselves opportunities to experience life from the same perspective, and
to engage in mutually shared experiences. Don’t get caught up in the FOMO
(“fear of missing out”) or social comparison with your ex’s virtual life. It distracts
you from moving on with your life and can open wounds that need to heal.
Focus on how technology can strengthen your bonds with others, and be keen to
how it can also distract us from getting what we want: healthy, sustainable
relationships that make us feel good about ourselves.
SOCIAL MEDIA ,YOUTH AND VIOLENCE
UNESCO releases new research on youth and violent extremism on social

media
SOURCE: https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-releases-new-research-youth-and-
violent-extremism-social-media
Page 32
Does social media lead vulnerable individuals to resort to violence? Many people believe it
does. And they respond with online censorship, surveillance and counter-speech. But what
do we really know about the Internet as a cause, and what do we know about the impact of
these reactions?
Violent extremism is becoming a major challenge for many societies today and is
threatening the security and fundamental rights of citizens all over the world.
Violent extremism is an affront to the principles of the United Nations, embodied
in universal human rights and fundamental freedoms. With a mandate to foster
cooperation and solidarity through communication and information, UNESCO
supports its Member States and civil society actors in responding to extremism and
radicalization on the Internet.
All over the world, governments and Internet companies are making reactive
decisions on the basis of assumptions about the causes and remedies to violent
attacks. The challenge is for analysis and responses to be firmly grounded. The
need is for policy constructed on the basis of facts and evidence, and not founded
on hunches or driven by panic and fear mongering.
It is in this context that UNESCO releases the study titled Youth and violent
extremism on social media. This work provides a global mapping of research
(mainly during 2012-16) into the assumed roles played by social media in violent
radicalization processes, especially as they affect youth and women across all the
regions of the world.
Reviewing more than 550 published studies from scientific and “grey literature”
covering titles in English, French, Arabic and Chinese languages, the research
finds that violent extremists are indeed heavily spread throughout the Internet and
that there is a growing body of knowledge about how terrorists use cyberspace.
Page 33
Less clear, however; is the impact of this use, and even more opaque is the extent
to which counter-measures are effective.
The study concludes that research on the subject is still at a budding stage, and it
urges caution about the results and interpretations. The literature reviewed in the
study provides no definitive evidence on a direct link between the specificities of
social media and violent radicalization outcomes on youth. Likewise, there is no
definitive evidence about the impact of counter-measures. Nevertheless, as a
whole, the literature does point towards some possible understandings. Indeed,
rather than being initiators or causes of violent behaviors, the Internet and social
media specifically can be facilitators within wider processes of violent
radicalization. The literature shows that violent extremists use characteristics of
social media to attract younger audiences, to disseminate extremist, violent and
criminal content, to identify potential participants, and foster one-on-one dialogue
with young people. However, as pointed out by this study, actual violent
radicalization is not reducible to Internet exposure, but generally entails the
mediation of several complex processes, including complex social-psychological
processes and person-to-person communication in conjunction with other offline
factors
A major output of the study is a 16-point recommendation list for Member States,
the private sector, Internet intermediaries, social media, civil society, and Internet
users. It recommends for instance that those actors could consider to encourage the
participation of youth in decision-making processes, deepen engagement between
Member States, civil society organizations and local communities, promote Media
and Information Literacy (MIL) strategies, support research on the subject, ensure
professional and conflict-sensitive journalistic coverage, manage expressions of
Page 34
hate online without compromising rights to freedom of expression, or educate

Internet users about ethical online behavior and privacy issues.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND EDUCATION
Social networking communities are here to stay. Facebook has over 500 million
users, while Twitter has over 200 million. That’s not even counting blogs or
YouTube video blogs. There’s no doubt that students are actively engaged in online
communities, but what kind of effects are these sites having and how can parents
counteract the bad and bolster the positive?
The Negative
1. Many students rely on the accessibility of information on social media

specifically and the web in general to provide answers. That means a reduced focus
on learning and retaining information.
2. Students who attempt to multi-task, checking social media sites while studying,
show reduced academic performance (http://viralms.com/blog/2011/04/how-social-
media-affects-students/). Their ability to concentrate on the task at hand is
significantly reduced by the distractions that are brought about by YouTube,
stumbleupon, Facebook or Twitter.
3. The more time students spend on social sites, the less time they spend
socializing in person. Because of the lack of body signals and other nonverbal
cues, like tone and inflection, social networking sites are not an adequate
replacement for face-to-face communication. Students who spend a great deal of
time on social networking are less able to effectively communicate in person.
Page 35
4. The popularity of social media, and the speed at which information is published,
has created a lax attitude towards proper spelling and grammar. The reduces a
student’s ability to effectively write without relying on a computer’s spell check
feature.
. The degree to which private information is available online and the anonymity the
internet seems to provide has made students forget the need to filter the
information they post. Many colleges and potential employers investigate an
applicant’s social networking profiles before granting acceptance or interviews.
Most students don’t constantly evaluate the content they’re publishing online,
which can bring about negative consequences months or years down the road.
The Positive
1. Social networking has increased the rate and quality of collaboration for
students. They are better able to communicate meeting times or share information
quickly, which can increase productivity and help them learn how to work well in
groups.
2. Social networking teaches students skills they’ll need to survive in the business
world. Being able to create and maintain connections to many people in many
industries is an integral part of developing a career or building a business.
3. By spending so much time working with new technologies, students develop

more familiarity with computers and other electronic devices. With the increased
focus on technology in education and business, this will help students build skills
that will aid them throughout their lives.
4. The ease with which a student can customize their profile makes them more
aware of basic aspects of design and layout that are not often taught in schools.
Page 36
Building resumes and personal websites, which are increasingly used as online
portfolios, benefit greatly from the skills obtained by customizing the layout and
designs of social networking profiles.
5. The ease and speed with which users can upload pictures, videos or stories has
resulted in a greater amount of sharing of creative works. Being able to get instant
feedback from friends and family on their creative outlets helps students refine and
develop their artistic abilities and can provide much needed confidence or help
them decide what career path they may want to pursue.
What Next?
How can parents mitigate the negative aspects of social media while improving
upon the positive results? Moderating their access to social media is one excellent
method. Most of the negative aspects can be overcome by reducing the amount of
time spent on social network sites. Provide ample time for face-to-face social
interaction, like having some family leisure time in which you discuss their studies
in a relaxed atmosphere or inviting friends and family over for cookouts.
Paying attention to their academic progress and addressing any issues will go a
long way towards keeping the negative aspects of social media from influencing
their studies. So, too, will providing fun, face-to-face social interaction with loved
ones.
Page 37
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
The below recommendations can be helpful for better use of Social Media:
► For parents and caretakers: Parents and the caretakers have to alert themselves regarding
social media and the means which their teens may use. And they should be aware of the risks to
understand and navigate technology.
Family discussions are also one of the recommendations which will help teenagers in avoiding
using internet. Parents should be concerned about the online protection and sharing of individual
information and photos of their teens, as less sharing of personal information will prevent the
risk. Most of the information should be kept private so as to avoid spammers.
► For community: Better resources should be owed to schools, libraries and community
organizations, to help them in taking on risk management strategies and to offer education about
online security matter. Resources are required for social services and mental health professionals,
who job with minors and their families in extending their skill, to online spaces and also work
with other members of the society, for identifying at-risk youth and interfere prior to risky
performance results in unenthusiastic endings.
Page 38
► Technological solutions: Internet providers like Google and Yahoo, and social networking
sites, like Face book and YouTube, must continue in working with parents and policymakers for
creating alertness and chances for privacy defense of youth and to expand technologies which
will help teenagers in getting secured.
► Health providers: Medicinal and psychological health suppliers should comprise regular
broadcasting to evaluate the risk for depression which considers teenagers social media use. For
instance, assessing the time spent in using media as well as online activities or inquisitive about
online contacts .Tools must be developed for helping providers engage in these conversations.
► Research Evaluation: continuous research is required on the achievement of social media

based involvements, especially those focusing on metropolitan and countryside teenagers from
lower middle class families and those with deprived home locations.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGING THE WORLD
Around the world, billions of us use social media every day, and that number just keeps growing.
In fact, it’s estimated that by 2018, 2.44 billion people will be using social networks, up from
970,000 in 2010.
We use it for every part of our lives – in our personal relationships, for entertainment, at work
and in our studies. To put it into some context, every minute we collectively send more than 30
million messages on Facebook and almost 350,000 tweets.
Our growing love of social media is not just changing the way we communicate – it’s changing
the way we do business, the way we are governed, and the way we live in society. And it’s doing
Page 39
so at breakneck speed. Here are six observations and predictions for the way social media is
changing the world from experts from the Global Agenda Council.
1. Across industries, social media is going from a “nice to have” to an essential component
of any business strategy
It started in the newsroom, as Claire Wardle of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism explains:
“In just seven years, newsrooms have been completely disrupted by social media. Social media
skills are no longer considered niche, and solely the responsibility of a small team in the
newsroom. Instead social media affects the way the whole organization runs.”
It’s a trend that is already spreading to businesses beyond the newsroom, whether it be because
of digital marketing or new customer service communication channels. Other industries should
look to the lessons learned – or not – by the newsroom and ensure that they’re one step ahead of
this social media-enabled disruption.
2. Social media platforms may be the banks of the future
Imagine being able to pay your rent or make an investment through your favourite social
network. That might not be too far off, says Richard Eldridge of Lenddo. “Social media is
transforming banking relationships in very significant ways, from improving customer service to
allowing users to send money to others via online platforms. New financial technology
companies are using social media to help people simply open a bank account. Social media can
even impact your ability to get a loan.”
But it won’t be without its problems: “The biggest challenge is maintaining security standards
and ensuring customers knowingly provide personal information. Banks will also have to
implement sophisticated social media policies.”
3. Social media is shaking up healthcare and public health
Page 40
The health industry is already using social media to change how it works, whether through public
health campaigns or virtual doctor’s visits on Skype. It’s also helped groups of people, such as
patients suffering from the same condition, stay in touch, say Shannon Dosemagen of Public
Laboratory for Open Technology and Science and Lee Aase of Mayo Clinic Center for Social
Media and its Social Media Health Network: “Social media has been responsible for relevant
changes in both personal and community health, especially by making it easier for large numbers
of people to rapidly share information.”
That’s not always a good thing: while social media does help official agencies and experts share
important information fast – such as during a disease outbreak – it has a downside. “Social media
is a two-way street, and allows non-experts to share information just as rapidly as health
agencies, if not more so.” It’s this future that the health industry will need to plan for: “Health
agencies need to have plans in place ahead of time to be able to respond to and counter
misinformation or support accurate information shared via social media.”
4. Social media is changing how we govern and are governed
Civic participation and engagement has been transformed with social media: “Social media
allows citizens to be the source of ideas, plans and initiatives in an easier way than ever before”
says Eileen Guo of Impassion Media. In the future, we can expect more and more leaders to
embrace this type of transparent governance, as it becomes easier for them to interact with their
constituents: “Whereas politicians and government officials once had to travel to interact with
citizens, now online town halls strengthen the connections between them, while providing a
platform for direct input on government initiatives.”
Before the dawn of social media, governments, along with the traditional media, were the
gatekeepers of information. This relationship has been turned on its head, says Taylor Owen of
the University of British Columbia: “This largely symbiotic relationship has been radically
disrupted by the concurrent rise of digital technology and the social media ecosystem that it
enabled. Nowhere is this challenge more acute than in the world of international affairs and
conflict, where the rise of digitally native international actors has challenged the state’s
dominance.”
Page 41
Wikileaks and the rise of the social-media savvy terrorist organization ISIS are just two examples
of this shift in power, which will call for a complete rethink of the concept of governance.
5. Social media is helping us better respond to disasters
From Facebook’s Safety Check – which allows users in disaster zones to mark themselves as
safe – to the rise of the CrisisMappers Network, we’ve seen many examples of how social media
and digital communications more broadly are helping respond to disasters.
That looks set to continue, says Heather Leson of the Qatar Computing Research Institute. In
fact, more and more of us will be using social media to contribute to disaster relief from
wherever we are: “Digital responders can immediately log on when news breaks about a natural
disaster or human-created catastrophe. Individuals and teams are activated based on skill sets of
volunteer and technical communities. These digital responders use their time and technical skills,
as well as their personal networks in an attempt to help mitigate information overload for formal
humanitarian aid in the field.” These digital humanitarians will help close the gap in worldwide
disaster response.
6. Social media is helping us tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, from human
rights violations to climate change
The Arab Spring is perhaps one of the best-known examples of how social media can change the
world. But it’s about more than just bringing together activists: it’s also about holding human
rights violators to account. “Content shared on social media has increasing potential to be used as
evidence of wartime atrocities and human rights violations, explain Esra’a Al Shafei of Mideast
Youth and Melissa Tyas of Crowd voice. “Following verification and forensic reconstruction by
prosecutors and human rights advocates, these videos are potential evidence that may one day be
brought before an international court.”
This capacity for social media to bring together disparate but like-minded people is also helping
fight another enormous challenge: climate change. “Social media has become an important tool
for providing a space and means for the public to participate in influencing or disallowing
environmental decisions historically made by governments and corporations that affect us all. It
Page 42
has created a way for people to connect local environmental challenges and solutions to larger-
scale narratives that will affect us as a global community,” says Shannon Dosemagen.
CONCLUSION
Like a coin with two sides, social networking sites also have in their own way adversely affected
the youth. The target group prefers spending an abundant amount of time on these social
networking sites on an average of more than 2 hours a day which keeps them away from
their own purpose of existence and interacting with their own natural surroundings. Their social
gatherings are hampered because surfing these social networking sites keep them more involved
for which they are bound to ignore other significant social events in their lives. Also,
the credibility of these sites have not been clearly validated because the kind of information
derived by the youth from these sites has a greater part of its inclination towards entertainment
and updates from family and friends than general awareness and job related information.
The objectives meant to have targeted have been achieved to an extent through this study. With
reference to the expected outcome the study has diverted to a different angle wherein not only
negative impacts have proven to exist through the usage of social networking sites but
also the existence of positive impacts have occupied a place in one’s life. The youth have
determined their own boundaries and have set their own limits as to how and when to use social
media irrespective of the positive and negative effects it imparts. The youth today is not only
techno savvy and socially existent but also embody social consciousness.
As with many technologies, adoption of the Internet especially for its social uses has seen its
highest levels of usage among younger users. The majority of current college students have had
access to the Internet and computers for a large percentage of their lives. These digital natives
see these technologies as a logical extension of traditional communication methods, and perceive
Page 43
social networking sites as often a much quicker and more convenient way to interact. That they
are aware of the danger and risk involved in these sites is a positive indicator that Indian youth
are not only techno-savvy and socially active through social networking sites but they also
possess social consciousness.
REFERENCES
Khan S (2011) Impact of social networking websites on students. Abasyn

Journal of Social Sciences 5: 56-77.
Ahn J (2011) The effect of social networking sites on adolescents’ social and
academic development: Current theories and controversies. Journal of the
American Society for Information Science and Technology 62: 1435-1445.
Camilia ON, Ibrahim SD, Dalhatu BL (2013) The effects of social networking
sites usage on the studies of Nigerian students. The International Journal of
Engineering and Science 2: 39-46.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/04/6-ways-social-media-is-changing-the-world/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/04/6-ways-social-media-is-changing-the-world/
https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-releases-new-research-youth-and-violent-extremism-social-
media
https://blog.wisdomjobs.com/social-media-and-its-impact-on-youth/
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A Study On Impact of Social Media On The Youth

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A Study On Impact of Social Media On The Youth

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A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE YOUTH.

Impact of social networking websites on the education of the youth

Impact of social networking sites in the changing mindsets of

Impact of social networking sites on students

Effect of social networking sites usage on the studies of Nigerian students

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

Types of social media.

ADVANTAGES OF SOCIAL MEDIA

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media are gaining in popularity every day.

What are the positive aspects of engaging in social media?

The positives of social media:

 Grades improve and absenteeism is reduced.

The Expectation of Fame and the Importance of Being "Liked"

What are the negative aspects of engaging in social media?

The negatives of social media:

A Detriment to Work and/or School:

 Enables cheating on school assignments.

 Possible negative effects on college admission: 35% of admissions officers scan

 Exposure to corporate and governmental intrusions. The US Justice Department

Users Vulnerable to Crime:

 Unauthorized sharing and copyright infringement threatens intellectual property and

 Cyber-bullying (the use of electronic communication to bully someone, usually by

Is Social Media Taking Over?

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

The below risks are associated with Social Media:

which they are not.

the entire youth and also kids.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MENTAL HEALTH

• Increased or unusual social anxiety when interacting with people offline.

HEALTHY USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Methods of data collection

RESULTS AND FINDINGS

On being asked as to which social networking sites the target

When asked the main reason to register on social media sites,

happenings amongst their friends and family.This to a certain

When asked about the kind of information the respondents derive

business streams,30% said that they add friends on their

When the question of cyber crime was raised to the

To study the influence of social networking sites on

When asked about the respondents perception regarding the

When asked about making stronger contacts on social media than

From the previous findings we got to know that 30% of

respondents who disagree about social media hampering their

22% respondents have not had their schedules or professional

On being asked about the positive and negative impacts of social

The primary objective of this research was undertaken to throw

in person. The level of trust and faith weighs higher on their

CRAZE FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AMONG

or a 60 year old GRANDFATHER , everyone is just so curious to update statuses

SOCIAL MEDIA AND RELATIONSHIPS

“FOCUS ON HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR BONDS

Use Technology to Strengthen Connections

Make sure to save some interactions for real-time in-person communication, so as

SOCIAL MEDIA ,YOUTH AND VIOLENCE

UNESCO releases new research on youth and violent extremism on social

hate online without compromising rights to freedom of expression, or educate

SOCIAL MEDIA AND EDUCATION

1. Many students rely on the accessibility of information on social media

3. By spending so much time working with new technologies, students develop

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

► Research Evaluation: continuous research is required on the achievement of social media

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGING THE WORLD